World Cup digest

SAO PAULO — The Netherlands takes on Chile in a match to decide which of the two already qualified teams will win World Cup Group B and avoid a possible round of 16 clash with host Brazil. By Mike Corder. UPCOMING: 800 words. By 4 p.m. EDT/1900 GMT. AP photos.

WCUP-AUSTRALIA-SPAIN

CURITIBA, Brazil — Spain will take on Australia in its final Group B match Monday in the knowledge that defeat will officially make its defense of the World Cup the worst in history. Following two straight defeats for both teams, neither can qualify for the knockout stages of the World Cup. By Pan Pylas. UPCOMING: 500 words by 2.30 pm EDT/1730 GMT.

WCUP-CAMEROON-BRAZIL

BRASILIA, Brazil — Host Brazil needs at least a draw against already eliminated Cameroon to advance to the second round of the World Cup on Monday. An elimination in the group stage is almost unthinkable for the the five-time world champions playing at home. By Tales Azzoni. 650 words, photos by 6 p.m. EDT/2200 GMT.

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WCUP-CROATIA-MEXICO

RECIFE, Brazil— Croatia meets Mexico in a pivotal Group A match on Monday in the World Cup. Croatia must win to advance, while the Mexicans can go through to the knockout round with a tie. By Brett Martel. UPCOMING, 700 words, photos. By 7 p.m. EDT/2300 GMT.

WCUP-HONDURAS-SWITZERLAND

MANAUS, Brazil — Exactly four years after their last World Cup meeting, Switzerland and Honduras will face each other under almost identical circumstances. By Chris Lehourites. 442 words. SENT.

WCUP-ARGENTINA-NIGERIA

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil — The Lionel Messi show is coming to this southern Brazilian city, along with hordes of the Argentina striker’s loyal fans. Porto Alegre is close to the Argentine border, and thousands have already made the crossing into Brazil, many sleeping in buses and vans ahead of Wednesday’s game against Nigeria. By Chris Brummitt. 390 words. SENT.

WCUP-ECUADOR-FRANCE

RIBEIRAO PRETO, Brazil — If France beats Ecuador in Wednesday’s Group E match, it will be the first time it has won all three group games in a major competition since 1998 — the year it went on to win the World Cup. By Jerome Pugmire. 570 words. SENT.

WCUP-IRAN-BOSNIA

BRASILIA, Brazil — Iran can still hope to reach the second round of the World Cup on Wednesday when it plays already relegated Bosnia, but it needs to do what it did not so far in the tournament — score goals. By Dusan Stojanovic. UPCOMING: 570 words. By 11 a.m. EDT/1400 GMT.

PORTO SEGURO, Brazil — Germany’s defense looked slow and unreliable in the draw against Ghana. It will have to improve considerably if Germany wants to go far in the tournament. By Nesha Starcevic. UPCOMING: 500 words, by 4 p.m. EDT/2000 GMT. With AP Photos.

WCUP-BELGIUM-DAY AFTER

RIO DE JANEIRO — They have the points. They still lack the style. Belgium lived up to the pre-tournament hype by qualifying for the knockout rounds with two straight victories. Yet, it still bodes the question: is this team for real? By Raf Casert. 600 words. By 4 p.m./2000 GMT.

WCUP-AMAZON INDIGENOUS VILLAGE

ALDEIA INDIGENA TATUYO, Brazil — The sound of an approaching boat prompts the people of this river village to run out to greet their visitors, feather headdresses bobbing, loincloths and grass skirts rustling. Riding atop two of the women’s heads, baby monkeys grab fistfuls of hair as they clutch on for dear life. A 40-minute ride up the Rio Negro from Manaus, the people of Aldeia Indigena Tatuyo are far removed from the global spectacle taking place in that World Cup host city. Here, amid the exuberant vegetation of the Amazon rainforest, two worlds meet, smile at one another and snap souvenir photos. By Jenny Barchfield. 450 words, photos. SENT.

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil — A backup goalkeeper in his club team, Sergio Romero has been called Argentina’s weak link. A string of crucial saves against Iran made him the team’s most important player, save for Lionel Messi. By Karl Ritter. 400 words by 12 p.m. EDT/1600 GMT.

WCUP-EUROPE’S STRUGGLES

CURITIBA, Brazil — While the teams from the Americas have largely flourished, Europe’s could be headed to their lowest representation in the second round of the World Cup since the current knockout format was introduced in 1986. By Pan Pylas. 600 words. By 11 a.m. EDT/1400 GMT.

WCUP-US

SAO PAULO — SAO PAULO —A day after conceding a 95th-minute goal that left the Americans with a 2-2 draw against Portugal and prevented them from clinching a place in the last 16, the United States turns its attention to Thursday’s game against Germany. By Ronald Blum. UPCOMING. 400 words. By 6 p.m. EDT/2200 GMT.

WCUP-SPAIN

CURITIBA, Brazil — Spain discusses its final Group B match at the World Cup against Australia, as the 2010 champions head home following one of the worst defenses of the trophy in the tournament’s history. By Paul Logothetis. UPCOMING. 500 words, photos. By 3 p.m. EDT/1900 GMT.

WCUP-JAPAN

CUIABA, Brazil — Japan holds a training session before coach Alberto Zaccheroni and a player attend a news conference ahead of the team’s must-win World Cup match against Colombia. By Steve Douglas. UPCOMING. 400 words. By 6 p.m. EDT/2200 GMT.

WCUP-COLOMBIA

CUIABA, Brazil — Colombia holds a training session at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba before coach Jose Pekerman and a player attend a news conference ahead of the team’s World Cup match against Japan. By Steve Douglas. UPCOMING, by 9 p.m. EDT/0100 GMT.